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Description
This study aims to deliver an analysis of two most popular (Liu, Deng, & Yang, 2020) Chinese-English online dictionaries: the New Chinese-English Dictionary in the Youdao Dictionary app and the Online Collins Chinese-English Dictionary. There has been a long-term demand for high-quality language learning resources from the growing population of Chinese learners of English. Moreover, the development of a Chinese-English bilingual dictionary often faces a formidable challenge owing to disparities in the linguistic structures of these two languages (Zgusta, 1971; Chen, 2004; Hartmann, 2007; Shao, 2019). The primary objective of this study is to systematically identify and categorize the shortcomings of the dictionaries, laying the groundwork for future improvements. The scarcity of reliable online dictionaries poses an impediment to effective language learning, necessitating a comprehensive examination of existing tools to identify the weak points and opportunities for improvement. Online dictionaries are considered one of the most convenient tools for language learners in today’s technology background. Although de Schryver (2003) claimed that paper dictionaries are “unbeatable” in certain aspects, it is still generally assumed that online dictionaries, by offering new features while retaining characteristics of traditional dictionaries, can greatly aid users seeking help with word meaning and use, which has been shown in many previous studies (Dziemianko, 2010; Chen, 2012; Zhang & Pérez-Paredes, 2021; Zhang, Xu, & Zhang, 2021). However, other researchers have reported that digital dictionaries’ effectiveness in language learning is still uncertain (Lew, 2014; Ferrett & Dollinger, 2021; Gilquin & Laporte, 2021; Chen & Liu, 2022) due to the insufficient dictionaryusing skills of the users and the limitations of the dictionaries themselves. While the use of dictionaries has rapidly shifted towards digital mediums, there remains a gap in research on learners’ dictionary needs and preferences in online formats and the strengths and deficiencies of current online dictionary products. The methodology of this study involves an analysis of 30 entries in the two resources mentioned above. These 30 entries, including 15 verbs and 15 nouns, have been randomly chosen from various language learning resources that are representative of the vocabulary that Chinese learners are likely to encounter and use: five come from the top 200 frequency list in zhTenTen corpus, and each two of the rest come from each word-list reference book of the five major English tests in China: IELTS, CET6 (College English Test Level 6), TEM8 (Test for English Majors Level 8), CATTI (China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters), and Postgraduate Admission Test. Through this analysis, various issues in both content and structure are identified and categorized. Categories include incorrect definitions, inadequate explanations, outdated information or obsolete terms, limited synonyms and antonyms, lack of or mismatched contextual examples, lack of pronunciation/grammatical/special usage guidance, inconsistent, unclear, or disorganized structure, etc. These findings present a broad view of the challenges that currently exist in online Chinese-English dictionaries. To augment this analysis, a targeted questionnaire is administered to intermediate-to-advanced-level Chinese learners of English, specifically those with B2-C1 proficiency levels, in order to elicit insights into the learners’ usage habits and unmet needs concerning online bilingual dictionaries. The questionnaire was designed to cover various aspects, including frequency of use, perceived reliability, and satisfaction with specific features such as example sentences, pronunciation guides, and contextual usage. By integrating user perspectives into the evaluation process, this study seeks to unveil additional challenges that may not have been discerned through the initial entry-based analysis. Based on the findings from both the entry analysis and user feedback, several recommendations for improving Chinese-English online bilingual dictionaries are: provide more accurate and detailed definitions with clear distinctions between different senses of polysemous words; enrich explanations with comprehensive information to aid learners in understanding the full scope of a word’s meaning and usage; regularly update dictionaries to remove obsolete terms and incorporate contemporary language usage; include a wide range of contextual examples, supported by audio pronunciations and grammatical guidance; improve the structure and organization of entries to enhance user experience; incorporate more interactive features, etc. In conclusion, this study highlights the critical shortcomings of current Chinese-English online bilingual dictionaries and offers insights for future improvements. Addressing these issues can help create more effective and userfriendly resources, better supporting Chinese learners of English in their language learning journey.
